It's the NHL lockout 2012, which is a head-scratcher to begin with. The NHL had seven solid years of growth for the league and it's players after the last one in 2004/05 and, it would seem, that the two sides needed to tweak--however severely--hockey related revenue as well as other issues.
It's the complex numbers--past, current and future-- in the negotiations which feature the NHL and NHLPA being represented by legal big-dogs Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr respectively.
It's the morass that is now headed to courtroom featuring not only the legalities and precedents of legal filings, but the multitude of little things like the attorneys and judges and location that could sway a case, or a portion of the case, one way or another.
Thankfully, for those of us who get lost looking over something as simple as a parking ticket, Ottawa attorney Eric Macramalla, TSN Legal Analyst, is keeping it in perspective for us "Average Joes."
Macramalla started helping sift through legal jargon as the word "decertification" was beginning to make its way into the lockout vernacular. He began is work on TSN (as well as an appearance on WGR) with a piece breaking down the difference between decertification and disclaimer of interest (the latter be the avenue the players are now voting on,) and proceeded with his November 26 piece, A primer on NHLPA decertification.
And as the legal maneuvering is primed to get more complicated with each legal filing, Macramalla does it again with his latest piece, The NHL's lawsuit and what's next.
From the NHLPA Executive Board planning a disclaimer of interest vote by the players to the "pre-emptive" strike by the NHL in its dual filings, Marcramalla provides some answers--simply stated--as to the why's and potential ramifications of any move by either side. He also touches upon the recent NFL and NBA lockouts citing similarities and differences.
He offers no conclusions, stating "the only certainty is uncertainty," but does help us understand where we came from, where we're at and possible directions the lockout could head--including the possibility that the legal punches thrown by both sides could lead to more bargaining and an agreement.
It's a great read, and Macramalla's work is greatly appreciated by "Average Joe's" like us.
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